Conference of Defence Associations Institute

CDA Institute
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The CDA Institute's programming convenes experts in Canadian defence, international security, and politics to provide nuanced discussion about current and ongoing issues in defence and security. https://cdainstitute.ca/

  1. What is the endgame in Iran?

    MAR 5

    What is the endgame in Iran?

    On February 28, 2026, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was assassinated, an event that shocked the region and raised significant questions about Iran’s operational security. While his death is undeniably significant, the Islamic Republic survives his assassination, though it emerges considerably weakened, particularly given prior leadership losses and ongoing military and infrastructure degradation. Dr. Thomas Juneau, professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, joined us to discuss the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, examining how he was targeted, the operational security failures that made it possible, and what his death means for Iran’s internal stability and the future of its nuclear program. He explores the broader escalation of the US-Israel-Iran conflict, the limits of support from allies like China and Russia, and the potential consequences for Iranian society if the regime falls. Finally, he addressed Canada’s diplomatic positioning, including Prime Minister Carney’s statements, balancing support for US actions with domestic and bilateral considerations, and the practical limits of Canada’s influence in the conflict. ➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cdainstitute/ ➡️ Twitter/X: https://x.com/CDAInstitute ➡️ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cdainstitute.bsky.social ➡️ Instagram: https://bit.ly/42ih7SU 📬 Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest defence and security updates delivered to your inbox: https://bit.ly/4fQ2wDV The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: CDA Institute

    28 min
  2. Operationalizing the Defence Industrial Strategy: Can Canada Deliver?

    FEB 27

    Operationalizing the Defence Industrial Strategy: Can Canada Deliver?

    On today’s episode of the Expert Series, CDA Institute Executive Director Gaëlle Rivard Piché and CGAI President & CEO David Perry examine how Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy is redefining the relationship between strategic autonomy, economic prosperity, and national security.  They discuss the structural reforms and cultural shifts required to drive innovation, strengthen sovereign capabilities, and align economic growth with geopolitical realities.  This episode unpacks the implementation challenges, trade-offs, and policy signals that will determine whether the strategy moves from ambition to measurable impact.  The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: CDA Institute

    45 min
  3. Unpacking Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy

    FEB 20

    Unpacking Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy

    On today’s episode of the Expert Series, we examine Canada’s first Defence Industrial Strategy and how it aims to reshape military readiness, domestic industrial capacity, and Canada’s position in a rapidly shifting geopolitical environment. Vice-Admiral (Ret’d) Mark Norman, Lieutenant-General (Ret’d) Andrew Leslie, and the Honourable Peter MacKay assess the strategy’s ambition, its proposed “Build–Partner–Buy” framework, and the creation of a new Defence Investment Agency.  They discuss long-standing procurement challenges, persistent capability gaps within the Canadian Armed Forces, and the realism of directing 70% of defence contracts to Canadian firms while remaining closely integrated with the United States and NATO supply chains.  This episode offers a candid evaluation of the opportunities and risks embedded in the strategy, underscoring the importance of effective implementation, economic resilience, and timely investment to ensure Canada can meet both its operational commitments and broader national security objectives.  The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: CDA Institute

    59 min
  4. Wargaming in the Arctic

    FEB 13

    Wargaming in the Arctic

    On today’s episode of the Expert Series, we delve into the strategic complexities of Arctic security through the lens of wargaming. MGen (Ret’d) Dennis Thompson, creator of the game and Senior Mentor and Instructor at the Canadian Forces College, and Ven Adamov, Partner and Data Analytics Leader in KPMG’s Risk Services Practice, share their experiences and key takeaways while highlighting the geopolitical dynamics and military readiness challenges faced by Canada and its NATO allies.  They explore the strategic importance of the Northwest Passage, the role of pre-emptive strikes, and the impact of advanced technologies in modern warfare.  This episode delivers a focused analysis of the shifting Arctic security landscape, highlighting the need for enhanced surveillance capabilities, infrastructure investment, and international cooperation.  The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: CDA Institute

    41 min
  5. How is Canada Rebuilding Its Armed Forces?

    FEB 6

    How is Canada Rebuilding Its Armed Forces?

    On today’s episode of the Expert Series, UBC Professor and CDA Institute Fellow David Borys is joined by CDAI Chair General (Ret’d) Tom Lawson and Vice-Chair Wendy Gilmour to discuss their recent National Post opinion piece on rebuilding the Canadian Armed Forces. Together, they examine Canada’s defence spending and its implications for the military, including recruitment and retention challenges, procurement hurdles, and how new investments could strengthen operational readiness, support the defence industry, and position Canada amid growing geopolitical pressures. The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: CDA Institute

    43 min
  6. Montreal Climate Security Summit Series, Part 3: Ukraine, Energy, and Readiness in Modern Warfare

    FEB 4

    Montreal Climate Security Summit Series, Part 3: Ukraine, Energy, and Readiness in Modern Warfare

    As Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure this week, the links between defence planning, energy vulnerability, and resilience in Europe are once again front of mind. In this very timely release, the CDA Institute’s Climate Security Programme is sharing the third and final episode of its Special Expert Series highlighting key insights from the 4th Montreal Climate Security Summit, co-hosted with @NATO CCASCOE.  In this episode, Programme Director @Pauline Baudu is joined by Lennard de Klerk, lead author of The Climate Damage Caused by Russia’s War in Ukraine, produced by the Initiative on GHG Accounting of War, to examine how energy vulnerability and the environmental footprint of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are reshaping defence planning, military readiness, and European security, and what Canada and its Allies can learn to increase their own resilience.     We explore:   - Why Russia’s invasion is a 'fossil-fuel war', how energy dependence creates strategic vulnerability, and why reducing reliance on fossil fuels is now central to European resilience and autonomy - How energy infrastructure has emerged as both a primary target and a critical weakness in the Ukraine conflict, particularly for energy-dependent military operations - What lessons Canada can draw from Ukraine as it modernizes its forces and strengthens the protection of domestic energy infrastructure against hybrid threats - How the 1.5% of new NATO defence investments allocated to critical infrastructure can be leveraged to reduce military emissions, strengthen capability, and enhance long-term resilience  This episode was recorded in December 2025. The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: CDA Institute

    29 min
  7. Can Carney's Canada Contend with a "Ruptured" Global Order?

    JAN 29

    Can Carney's Canada Contend with a "Ruptured" Global Order?

    On today’s episode of The Expert Series Podcast, we speak with Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist, to examine the Trump administration’s interest in Greenland, growing strains within the transatlantic alliance, and what recent developments at the World Economic Forum in Davos reveal about the future of global order.  Joshi reflects on the implications of renewed great power competition, alliance uncertainty, and the erosion of long-standing assumptions underpinning international security. The discussion explores how allies are responding to a more transactional and unpredictable U.S. approach, the challenges facing NATO and middle powers, and how Canada can navigate a rapidly changing strategic environment while balancing dependence, diversification, and sovereignty. The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: CDA Institute

    29 min
  8. Montreal Climate Security Summit (MCSS) Series, Part 2: Climate Disinformation as a Strategic Risk

    JAN 25

    Montreal Climate Security Summit (MCSS) Series, Part 2: Climate Disinformation as a Strategic Risk

    The CDA Institute’s Climate Security Programme has launched a limited set of episodes of the Expert Series podcast highlighting key insights from the 4th Montreal Climate Security Summit (MCSS), co-hosted with NATO CCASCOE. Recorded following the 4th MCSS, our second episode features Director of the Climate Security Programme @Pauline Baudu in conversation with Dr. Andrew Heffernan, adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa and climate associate at the Information Integrity Lab. Together, they discuss why climate disinformation is a strategic issue, not just an environmental one, and why information integrity is essential to protecting our sovereignty. Dr. Heffernan touches on how instability leads to misinformation, and how (climate) misinformation deepens polarization and distrust, why much of today’s climate misinformation is intentional and coordinated, as some actors spread disinformation to protect fossil-fuel interests, while others do it simply to divide societies, and what it means for the CAF’s mission, and how DND can be integrated in a whole-of-society response to promote information integrity. ➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cdainstitute/ ➡️ Twitter/X: https://x.com/CDAInstitute ➡️ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cdainstitute.bsky.social ➡️ Instagram: https://bit.ly/42ih7SU 📬 Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest defence and security updates delivered to your inbox: https://bit.ly/4fQ2wDV The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security. Learn more: CDA Institute

    34 min
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The CDA Institute's programming convenes experts in Canadian defence, international security, and politics to provide nuanced discussion about current and ongoing issues in defence and security. https://cdainstitute.ca/

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